THE DATE

THE TRAVEL PLAN

I will journey around the Philippines starting from Manila (Km.0) going up Northern Luzon then down to the eastern part to the provinces South of Manila like Quezon and Bicol region, cross the sea to explore the Eastern Visayas (Samar and Leyte) and then go down further to Mindanao (start from Surigao till I reach Tawi-Tawi then go up north to Dapitan) then to Central Visayas then go to Iloilo, ride a ferry to Palawan and continue to Mindoro finishing in Batangas and back to my home in Laguna.

Sorry, I will not publish the detailed route as people might copy it.

THE BIG QUESTION: WHY AM I DOING THIS?

It has been a dream to write a book of my 100-day journey, a coffee table book and maybe a travel show. So if you know of people who are interested in publishing the books or producing the show, please let me know so I can talk about this to them. (I know, its a steep dream, but hey dreams come true right? remember when I was interviewed by Travel & Living Channel)

Let’s do this! 100 days c’mon!

Ultimately, I want to stay true to the vision of my blog– encourage fellow Filipinos that traveling is not only for the rich and famous. I want to tell everyone that traveling is for everyone- both rich & poor, young & old, male & female.

UPDATES?

Please bookmark, share and tweet about Isang Daan. I will use #isangdaan when I tweet about this challenge.

WANNA JOIN?

If you want to join and experience the journey, you can tag along the way. Maybe we can have some good lunch or dinner, a cup of coffee or some booze would be great too. Don’t worry, I’ll pay for mine.

More on this as February 1 goes near.

DO YOU ACCEPT SPONSORSHIP/PARTNERSHIP?

I welcome sponsors and partnerships but as of now, what I need most is: Media mileage.

If you are a blogger, you can blog about it or place a badge on your website.

If you are on social media Facebook/Twitter, please share it to your friends/followers.

If you know of TV producers or anyone who would be willing to invest on an indie travel show please let me know.

Thanks goes to my friend Atty. Ojeda mycomingsandgoings.com for sponsoring my travel insurance and to The Little Red Dotin SG for the continued support!

If you are interested, do contact me at journeyingjames(AT)gmail(DOT)com

I’ll be out of the country on ur 3rd week eh.Then Ilocos on March 1-6.Give me a heads-up when ur heading Visayas(Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor) or Mindanao..Your hammock in exchange for a bed!And yeah,VIVA water in exchange for tea.Hahaha…And i still owe you a dinner..

hi james seen your blog well the route that your taking was done by two individuals one was joni bonifacio and the other guy did it last 2009 but the difference its your doing the route either by riding and commuting pero on the two that i have mentioned they have there MTB’s kindly go to jonis solo travel in the philippines blog and crazyguy on a bike kung cheapest way as possible this you can check it out muna i know your a runner but riding a mtb and seeing different places will go and guess what makakatipid ka like joni did and there are MTB clubs who can assist you in the way I’m also will be doing this either next year Im planning to save up a mtb. sa kanila kasi maximum travel nila is 70-80 days.

hello eka! i wanna thank you for following the blog, double thanks for sharing your comment here. i believe this is your first time to comment, right?
i really value readers like you. enjoy the beauty of our country. spend less, travel more!

yup your absolutely right in that way kasi yung dalawa na sabi ko more na pics lang sila and that year james is joni 2005 and crazy guy is 2009 sa madaling salita wala pang fb and twitter nun hehe and kita mo naman tatay yug isa si joni kahawig ni rudy fernandez anyway hope i can do your route if possible and guarantee i’ll do this to as well and i’ll do twitter and FB to for the meantime james i’m still saving for the things that i need in my journey so budget wise my friend save ako well i hope i can be a part of your luzon journey maybe we can meet teka I have an idea why not your gather your blogger friends and be you companion in you journey so you have company luzviminda pwede yun

Wowww.. I like the route!!! I did planned like these before but from Manila upto Siargao only, train from Manila to Legazpi, then bus, roro, upto Siargao. Yours is awesome and something to look up to. Ingat sa isang daan! 🙂

wow! nice! my dream too! hehehe i heard the sole sisters are doing a similar challenge.. but i think 21days of backpacking without taking any plane ride or something… cool you guys get to do this hehehe 😀

if you happen to be in zamboanga, please buzz me! i would love to have a little participation sa trip mo! nakapunta ka na ba ng sta cruz island or at least try some of the waterfalls dito (ako di pa sa falls hehehe plan namin to next year!!!)… we would love to tag along (i mean me and my kaladkarins!)

yes, the solesisters are doing a 21-day challenge. pareho lang din kami, no flights!
yup, see you in zamboanga- i want to visit sta.cruz island, pink beach and of course, from zambo i go to tawi-tawi
thanks for sharing sa regional DOT.

of course, dapat the best kasi investment narin yun… preparing for a BIGGER challenge if this one becomes a success!
i dont have work, im a freelancer.
and i view this as a fulfillment of my dreams, im just following my passion.
thanks jayme! hope you can share/mention this to your friends!

will also share my own announcement (though not as big as yours) soon. Exciting na exciting ang PTB!!!! si Jerik din, naging ambassador ng HTC. Si Lois may 21-day challenge! Things are shaping up and let’s all help each other!

oo nga Ed, everyone is doing something great and “impossible” for others.
grabe yan si gael, idol talaga! sila solesisters naman, i knew that when i was talking with chichi on our way to cebu. awesome talga!
thanks for the MAC wish, see you in Cebu bai

Hey! This is great. I can see from your route that you’ll be passing by Negros Island. Should you find yourself in Bacolod City, please email or contact me thru my mobile 09173001338. I’ll be glad to take you around. Just lemme know a few days in advance, aight? Goodluck!

wow tom! thanks for the feedback!
quoting what’s above, “encourage fellow Filipinos that traveling is not only for the rich and famous. I want to tell everyone that traveling is for everyone- both rich & poor, young & old, male & female.”
its for the local tourism ayt?
but wait, there’s more! so watch out.

It is all good, but you are budgeting 500pesos per DAY! Most of the “non-rich” people don’t even earn that much, so how can you say that you” want to tell everyone that traveling is for everyone- both rich & poor, young & old, male & female.”

I encourage you on your Journey, but pleas put the “expenses” in the right perspective. Travelling is NOT cheap (As you all know, I travel the cheapest way possible (check my Php250/day Visayas Challenge; Php400/day Mindanao Challenge and Php500/day Northern Mindanao Escapade and many more on my archives), so I want to keep that budget in mind. I will limit myself to spending Php500 or less per day.)

at 100 days at an average of 500 per dau is 50,000PESOS! I don’t have that kind of money to spend on a “travel” and I most certainly can NOT afford 100 days of no work. I don’t want to discourage the “less wealthy” (I don’t like to use the term “poor” since it has a discriminatory connotation) to travel, but I really do have issues on your budget….

thanks for the valuable feedback waduck!
the budget cap is Php500 po, it doesn’t mean that i will be spending Php500/day. i will be bringing my hammock in case i dont find an Php200/night inn/hostel.
also, traveling 100days is not for everyone and i dont suggest that everyone do it. im traveling around the Phils so that the “less wealthy” whenever they can afford maybe 2-3days of vacation can enjoy traveling for only Php1000-1500.
if you have time, please read this: http://journeyingjames.com/2010/10/in-retrospect-14-day-solo-backpacking-challenge/
thanks also for taking the time to read and analyze the post. mabuhay ka waduck!

I agree with Waduck that travelling is not cheap and as I had said in my previous comment, the CHEAPEST WAY TO TRAVEL IS TO FIND A SPONSOR just like what Journeying James had done during the 100 days wherein he got some free accommodation,transpo and food.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT EASIER IF IT WAS JUST WRITTEN : THE CHEAPEST WAY TO TRAVEL IS TO LOOK FOR A SPONSOR.

The P500/day budget is cheap enough if you have to base it in the Philippines. But as I said, there could be a lot cheaper than that if its FOR FREE, GET A SPONSORED TRIP.

AGAIN, NOTHING OF AN EPIC. Im sorry but this is just too “hype” to be considered as an EPIC same as what MAGNUM phenomenon is happening in the Philippines.

Nevertheless, ITS MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES, THATS WHY IM COMING BACK… SOON, hopefully with the CHEAPEST possible knowing that when Filipinos see a Foreigner on travel, they would always “HIT” or “SCORE” on you on expenses like taxi cabs, telling you they dont have a change so you will be forced to say “Oh common, keep the change” and how they overprice you for more than 100 fold the original value for a thing… NEVERTHELESS, its the dynamic of human interaction and behavior is when you get the chance to interact with some locals, whom we can’t really BLAME them alone after all, IF YOU ARE IN DIRE NEED, YOU WOULD DO ANYTHING JUST TO EARN, but I am definitely sure TOURIST UNDERSTANs that, otherwise, YOUR COUNTRY wouldnt be STORMED by millions of Tourist every year.

Kung “cheapest way possible” talaga, you shouldn’t be asking for a MacBook Air, but for the cheapest China-made or locally branded netbook available, or maybe one that’s 2nd hand, something you can buy at CD-R King or the stalls in Greenhills. Backpacking with a MacBook Air will be like riding a pedicab while drinking Evian. Mainit pa sa mata ng mga magnanakaw yan, at walang AppleCare sa probinsya.

jude, thanks for the feedback, i appreciate you taking time to read the post. napaisip ako sa comment mo..nice!
On why I need a macbook air for #isangdaan? – “cheapest way possible” po yung gastos sa trip, but it doesn’t mean na cheap yung gadgets ko.
i need the air bec it has longer battery life compared to most notebooks. its also lighter.
again thank jude 🙂

Hi! My sister has a spare Macbook Air 11″.. It was a gift to them a few months back and they haven’t used it or even opened it ever since. She’s selling it for a very reasonably low price.. Maybe you’re interested..:) Email me..

hiya! I commend you for doing this! I plan to backpack Philippines when I have the chance…and here you are living that dream. Good luck. I will surely watch out for this epic journey! Ill watch out for April Ill be in the Philippines, you’ll never know maybe I can tag along

really? i think its not too late to do your dream. thank you for the interest on this.
sure thing, by april i think i will be in mindanao then going to negros province and panay island and sure you can tag along.

hi darren! i think dadaan ako ng n.ecija kaya lang baka mabilis lang.
keep posted via facebook and twiiter, it would be great to have a travel chit-chat!
thanks a lot for following the blog, i owe people like you BIGTYM!

in case you’d be in marilao, i have a sofabed that you can use. i’m an inactive CS member, and you’d be the first i’d host, if ever. i might even join you if biak-na-bato is in your itinerary. goodluck! 🙂

Hi. Good luck on your trip.
I had been to Ilocos Norte down to Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi, however, I wasn’t able to accomplish what you are planning to do…
And I know i can still learn a lot from you.
Good luck. May God be with you always.

I will be one of those who will be following your journey. I’m so thankful there are travel bloggers like you who share their experiences with us. I know I’ll definitely use your guides / posts for my future travels. 🙂

Ohmy, I wanna cry. I’ve been wanting to travel ever since just like what ur doing kaya lang some circumstances hinder me. I wish you success on this challenge though and thank you for inspiring a lot of people to travel. Many people want to do it but only a few really take the challenge like you. I hope someday I’d be able to do it.

I believe you’re stopping by CDO? Can’t wait to meet you here, I’d love to have a chat with you. Coffee, maybe? 😀

i really hope you do it someday!
yep, i will try my best to drop by CDO on my way to iligan. plus, i want to see how people are doing after the typhoon and maybe offer any help i can.
coffee? sure thing, that’s my fave! please keep posted via facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeyingjamesFB ivy

Hi james! Id be willing to host you here in cdeo city. This is going to be a great great journey! Ill support you with this 🙂 you’re my inspiration, and yes because of you im going to try to travel solo. Wish you all the luck. You may contact me via my email posted in my left sidebar. Godbless you all the way.

hey missy/shugah! really? thanks for the offer, yep, i’ll be needing a place to stay in CDO.
if its possible, i want to volunteer in the typhoon victims too.. kung meron lang matutulong. i got your text message, will text you!

Wow this is just awesome. Would be nice to just leave everything behind, pack for an adventure and go. All over the Philippines. That is just so awesome. Crazy, but I salute you. I’ll follow this. Wish you luck and hope we meet somewhere along the way. 🙂

I first met you in a trail runnning event by PSA and I didn’t know you by then. Lol
But when I’ve visited your blog, I got inspired.
And so since then, I have done several backpacking in a “shoestring budget” (this phrase I’ve learned from yor blog too)
This year I’ll be doing my first solo out-of-the-country backpacking..
Thank you for inspiring us..

Hey Journeying James! Happy and Safe Travels. Thank you for the link, which I just noticed now since your site is the top traffic source for the month!I was happy to help and paid really just a little for the insurance. I’ll be watching out for the update/posts now that I am back in the Philippines.

i dont think this is much of an EPIC as you guys would say it. Definitely he spent less because he is couchsurfing, he had some free hotels,and etc.

When I first heard about it, I was kinda excited because what I had in mind was you gonna spend the cheapest ALL EXPENSE FROM YOUR OWN POCKET WITHOUT ANY HELP.

THIS IS WHAT I AM INTERESTED OF, HOW TO TRAVEL IN 100 DAYS, IN AS MANY PLACES AS I CAN BE with my OWN MONEY.

the answer to the question how to travel the cheapest way is very SIMPLE: FIND A SPONSOR. that way you wont spend a penny.

What is just exciting here is the long and continuous travel for 100 days. IM MORE AFTER OF THE CHEAPEST WHICH WAS NOT ACTUALLY ACHIEVED IN THIS “EPIC” TRAVEL as you guys would claim it was.

If I may get to the Philippines, I hope I can spend the cheapest as YOUR COUNTRY HAS SO MANY PLACES TO OFFER. So I need to budget my finances so as to cover as many places as Journeying James had accomplished.

Nevertheless, CONGRATULATIONS for the success of your endeavor and your soon to be endeavors.

sir francis, thanks for your valuable feedback. thank you also for taking time to comment, i appreciate your tact and honest opinion. hope you enjoy the philippines when you visit, let me know how i can help you in your planning.

I’m so proud and happy that you were able to finish this challenge! Am even glad that I got to see you and talk to you a bit on your day 86 (? tama ba?)of this challenge. I would always label it as a chance meeting…haha! Continue the passion sir!

Astig naman nito.. I’m from Sulu Archipelago but I’ve never been to those places and much more knew that it ever existed. Hehe. Shame on me. Susubaybayan ko pa ito. Thank you so much for the inspiration.

Awesome blog. Just found it. I am coming to the PI for 3 weeks in December with a PH family from my church. The ticket to Manila already cost $1300. How much do you think I need for the average accomodations, food, fun, etc…? They are telling me $3-4k USD. That seems like WAYYYY too much to me. I think I can come for less than $100/day, even if I’m white. Especially cuz I’m splitting a hotel room always with their son. We will be traveling to Palawan, Boracay, and maybe Bohol. Can you help me get an expectation?

Hi James as i view your blog spot its just like you have a good vacation already, and aside from that you help’s the small home owners regarding there homestay, by putting its in your blog’s. You are such a good inspiration.

hi james,i just saw your journey on cebu pacific magazine. i just admire how your journey resulted. like you i love to explore,travel and imagine things out of comfort zone. i already did some mindanao and luzon exploration as well as asian backpacking but i have yet to taste what you just did. if i only have the luxury of tme.good job

I want to do this tour too, currently I’m in Korea, will be back on July then I wanna travel the whole of Phil like what you did. Taga laguna din ako 🙂 Can you give me some tips and advices pati ndin un route mo hehe. Thanks in advance 🙂

I`m interested in travelling to Philippines but I`m finding some financial obstacles in my way! I`m living in central Europe(…almost) and the prices for plane tickets are not affordable to tell the truth, the cheapest ones are 650euros for a flight in half a year!
I`d really appreciate it if you have suggestions to make about how I`d be able to get in the Philippines in a more affordable way!
Thanks in advance for your time and may your journies be delightful and may you have amazing experiences in them!

Amazing photos and write up. You must have spent a lot of effort on the photos and the entire write up series. You just left yourself a legend! Your posts shows you are having so much fun it makes the other frequent travelers looked so mediocre. Will be subscribing to your blog 🙂